


Grace

by Arenne



Series: Tales from the Wild [4]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Brotherly Bonding, Caring friends, Don't worry, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Major Character Injury, Serious Injuries, Sickness, This isn't a death-fic, Whump, Wild (Linked Universe)-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:40:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 19,516
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22920376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arenne/pseuds/Arenne
Summary: Destiny has never been kind to her Heroes.Wild is no stranger to suffering, but this time could be different.This time, suffering might just claim him entirely.
Relationships: Mipha (Legend of Zelda) & Wild (Linked Universe)
Series: Tales from the Wild [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1629130
Comments: 131
Kudos: 700





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> Linked Universe belongs to jojo56830
> 
> I have no idea what to rate this fic, so for now, it shall remain unrated.
> 
> This story contains a minor reference to a previous story in the series. Despite this, it can be read completely stand-alone.

It was cold.

That was the first thing Wild became aware of, a bone-chilling coldness that had settled over his skin and penetrated deep into his core. He couldn’t imagine a reason why he would be so cold. If the weather had changed, surely he would have put on his Snowquill armor. He couldn’t remember a time that he had ever felt this cold.

That brought about more questions. Where was he? What was going on? Had something happened? His mind was sluggish, his thoughts swirling through impenetrable fog. He was so cold, and numb, and wet.

Wet?

How had he gotten wet?

Ever so slowly, Wild’s hazy mind grew clearer as he drifted closer to the surface of full consciousness. It was raining, he realized. Raindrops lashed against his face and neck, each one a tiny needle of iciness that stabbed his skin and slid beneath his tunic to chill him even more. The only part of him even remotely not frigid was his right cheek. It pressed against something warm and furry that smelled of dog, and pine, and a familiar scent that reminded Wild of home. He was moving too, though not under his own power. The movement was unpleasant, bouncing and jarring him, and that was when Wild became aware of another thing.

Pain.

There was a deep ache in his joints that spread through every muscle, radiating and throbbing with each beat of his heart. Even his fingers and toes burned and tingled terribly. But the fiery aches were eclipsed by the intense, shooting pain in his side. It felt like he was being stabbed over and over with every movement of his body. His sudden awareness of his own suffering caused his breath to catch in his throat, and it was only then that he realized how hard it was to draw air into his lungs.

The steady movement he had been feeling stopped quite suddenly, and he heard a voice very close to him.

“Cub?”

Twilight’s voice.

“Cub? Wild, can you hear me?”

It was so cold, and he hurt so much. Whatever he was leaning against was warm, and he tried to get closer, just to get a little more heat. But the movement caused agony to lance through his entire body, centered in his left side, and he could not stop the soft whimper that escaped his lips. Twilight’s voice came again, more urgent than before.

“Wild!”

“Twi-“ His own voice came out as a croak, and he felt a burning in his lungs that told him he had used too much air. He tried to draw more in, but it was hard. His chest was so tight, like that time Yunobo had tried to give him a hug. “Wha-“

He heard Twilight sigh, and the thing he was leaning against shifted. He vaguely realized that it was Twilight’s back. He was being carried, which was probably a good thing considering how he felt. “Just hang on, Cub, we just need to go a little farther.” Someone’s hand rested against his forehead, and Wild pried his eyes open. Blearily, he saw Sky, and the scared look on the other boy’s face told Wild that something had happened, Something bad. Sky threw Twilight a look, worried and urgent.

“Just a little farther,” Twilight repeated, and Wild couldn’t remember a time he had ever heard so much fear in his mentor’s voice.

His eyes fluttered shut.

When he opened them again, not much had changed except he was lying down and the rain no longer fell on his face. He was relieved about that, but he was still so cold and hurt so bad. He heard voices around him, but he couldn’t make out who it was or what they were saying. He turned his head a little and saw Sky and Hyrule kneeling down next to him, though looking elsewhere. He couldn’t see what they were doing, but their expressions were grim.

He didn’t know what was going on or why he felt worse (or nearly worse) than he ever had in his memorable life. What he did know was that he needed to see a certain face. He licked his lips, sucking in just enough air to speak. “Twi-“

The voices stopped abruptly. Wild heard the sounds of shifting bodies, and then Twilight was leaning above him, a smile on his face that didn’t reach his eyes. Wild caught a flicker of something in Twilight's azure gaze, something that looked remarkably like fear. “Hey, Cub. How are you feeling?”

Wild swallowed thickly. His mouth was so dry. “Been better,” he breathed out.

Twilight rested a hand against Wild’s forehead, a gesture that a whole and healthy Wild would have rebuffed. But now all Wild felt was gratitude that whatever was happening, there was someone that cared about him. He sighed and let his eyes flutter shut.

Wild was allowed a moment of peace before the hand was removed. “Cub, we need you to drink something. Can you do that for me?”

Wild opened his eyes again and met Twilight’s. It was harder to read his mentor’s expression this time. Wild nodded as best he could, and immediately, Twilight slipped a hand beneath Wild’s shoulders and gently lifted him. The pain in his side flared up drastically with the movement. Wild bit his lip and groaned, but he was relieved when he found himself leaning against a warm body. Twilight’s. The older man radiated heat like a furnace, and the numbing chill pervading Wild’s entire body thankfully abated for a moment. He heard Twilight’s voice in his ear and thought he might be muttering apologies, but he couldn’t be sure.

Something cold and hard pressed against his lips, and Twilight’s most soothing voice said, “Here, drink this.”

Wild did, swallowing what was definitely a potion if the bitter taste was anything to go by. Normally they tasted worse though, so Wild was grateful for that small mercy. When there was nothing more to swallow, the bottle was taken away and Wild was gently laid down again. The loss of warmth disappointed him greatly, and he shivered. Twilight’s hand gripped his shoulder.

The silence around him seemed strained. Wild felt hands at his side, near where the pain was the worst, and then he heard a voice, soft with despair. “Nothing.”

Twilight’s hand tensed, his fingers digging into Wild's skin for a moment before relaxing. “Then we try purifying it.”

“We don’t know what that will do to him in this condition! And we don’t know if it will work!”

“Do you have a better idea?” a new voice said.

“We don’t have a choice. Nothing else is working. Do it.”

“Don’t worry, Wild. Everything will be okay.”

Wild wanted to believe the words, he really did. But something kept him from totally accepting them.

“Ready?” Then silence. Someone's hand rested over his left side. Another on his left arm.

And then Wild felt nothing but agony.

The pain was more intense than anything he had ever experienced before, like a thousand white-hot knives were tearing into his skin over and over again. He was being crushed and burned and torn apart, and there was no end in sight. Wild could hear nothing over the ringing in his ears. He could feel nothing beyond the pain that sliced him into ribbons. And he knew nothing besides a desperate desire for his suffering to end.

And then it did, and Wild was left shaking and gasping. He heard murmured words and felt hands on his shoulders and his head, but he didn’t care anymore. Every bit of strength he'd possessed had been completely drained away. He couldn't move save for the tiny tremors racking his body, and he could barely think beyond the weariness he felt. He’d felt like this only once before. And with sudden surprising clarity, he knew what was coming.

He didn’t know how long it took for him to gain the energy to speak, only that he lay still for quite a long time, focusing on drawing air into his too-tight lungs. Even that grew harder by the second. But he just needed to hang on for a little longer to say what he needed to say.

He pried his eyes open, fighting the fatigue that pulled at his lids. People surrounded him, but only one face mattered right now. He tilted his head and saw azure eyes filled with despair.

“I’m… sorry.”

Twilight shook his head; his hand gripped Wild’s. Wild couldn’t tell whose hand was shaking. “Don’t. You don’t need to be sorry.”

Wild licked his lips, sucked in another breath. “I really… wanted to keep… travelling with you all.”

Twilight’s eyes widened even as Wild looked around at the others. Sky, Time, Four, Wind, Hyrule, Legend, Warriors—all of them his precious friends. Each of them looked down at Wild in various stages of horror, sorrow, and denial. Wild wished he could speak to each of them, tell them the feelings he held deep in his heart. He wanted them to know how much he cared for them, but he simply didn't have the strength. Wild looked back at Twilight, who above all was special. The brother that Wild had never had; the friend he didn't deserve. Twilight had made Wild's life far better than Wild had ever dreamed it could be. They all had. Wild hadn’t asked to be thrown into a group with past incarnations of himself, but he had, and he wouldn’t trade the time he’d spent with them for anything.

Twilight shook his head. “No, you are not going to die. You’re _not_.”

Wild wanted to laugh at that, but only a choked cough came out. “I’ve already died once… I guess my time is… finally up.”

Twilight’s face crumpled, like his whole world had just ended with those few words. Time stood behind Twilight, and the older man rested a hand on Twilight’s shoulder.

Wild tried to smile, but he couldn’t tell how successful he was. “Thank you… for everything.”

“No. No. _No_.” Tears rolled down Twilights cheeks. He reached forward to grip Wild by the shoulders, as though he could physically tie him down to the world of the living. But it didn’t hurt, and the sight no longer bothered Wild.

Wild sighed, everything began to feel lighter, better. The pain faded, as did the cold. He started to close his eyes, only to look to the side as one more person approached the group. She stood some distance away, eyes sad but with a smile gracing her beautiful face.

“Mipha,” he breathed, hardly daring to believe.

“Link,” she said and reached out a hand.

He stretched out his own hand to take hers, and found he was no longer lying down. When he turned around, he saw himself still lying on the ground, the others gathered around him, crying or frozen in disbelief. Twilight was hunched over Wild’s body, shoulders shaking with devastated sobs. Wild’s eyes were closed, and he had a small smile on his face.

Wild turned back around and smiled at Mipha. They stood there, gripping hands and gazing happily at each other. Darkness encroached around them, but it was comforting, and in the distance shone a pinprick of light that beckoned with promises of warmth and peace.

Looking at Mipha, and letting those feelings wash over him, Wild was content. This was just another adventure, and he would welcome it with open arms.


	2. Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is revealed: Part I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Judging by the comments I've received so far, I've set a high bar for myself with the first chapter. Hopefully, I don't disappoint.
> 
> Originally, this chapter was going to be combined with the next one into a single, super-behemoth chapter. Why? Because the majority of the interesting stuff happens in chapter 3. This chapter is mostly set-up for the next one. However, when I was picking out chapter titles, I realized I needed four chapters to make my choices work (because my chapter titles have almost nothing to do with the chapters themselves and everything to do with the story as a whole). Therefore, if you find this chapter a bit slow, or you don't enjoy it as much as the first, don't write the story off just yet. It gets better.
> 
> That was a very long note that said very little... 
> 
> On with the story!

_ONE WEEK AGO_

The battle hadn’t been that hard as far as battles for the Heroes went. There had been a dozen enemies, but they hadn't been very formidable, boasting only slightly more strength than usual. The nine Heroes had taken them down within minutes.

Wild, for once, had escaped getting a bad injury. He’d come out of it with only a small cut on his arm, barely deep enough to draw blood. If he’d been just a bit faster dodging that spear-wielding moblin, he could have come out of the battle completely unscathed. Sadly, his luck was sorely lacking when it came to monsters with long, pointy sticks.

No one else had been wounded except Four, who received a vicious blow from a club to the back of his head that left him bleeding and unconscious on the ground. Thankfully, Legend had been nearby, and the monster had been unable to do any more harm. Now with the battle finished, Sky and Warriors tended to Four, respectively forcing potions down his throat and trying to wash sticky blood from his hair. The second was a losing battle, in Wild’s opinion.

Everyone else simply milled about, collecting their scattered belongings and conversing quietly with each other around the fire. They’d unanimously decided to settle in early so that Four wouldn’t have to travel whilst injured. Yet as everyone else took their time setting up camp, Hyrule was attempting to get Wild to stand still long enough to dress his wound.

“I’m fine,” Wild insisted, waving off the other boy with a grimace. “It’s a scratch.”

“Scratches can get infected,” Hyrule said firmly, brandishing the bandages at Wild. He had the same intimidating glint in his eye that Wild had seen many times in Twilight. Though, Hyrule's was far less effective. It almost amusing how hard Hyrule was trying.

Wild sighed in exasperation. “Four is the one that needs help, don’t waste stuff on me.”

A muscle in Hyrule’s jaw clenched at Wild's words. With the disgusted way Hyrule eyed Wild, Wild got the impression that Hyrule was just barely restraining himself from calling Wild an idiot. Hyrule was polite like that.

Unfortunately, Twilight had no such qualms. Arms laden with dead branches, Wild's mentor passed by the two boys on the way to the fire, saying, “Don’t be stupid, and let Hyrule wrap your arm.”

“But-“

The piercing glare that Twilight threw Wild over his shoulder silenced the teen's protests. Wild hunched his shoulders and grumbled mulishly under his breath, but he did accept the half-empty bottle of red potion when Hyrule pushed it into his hand. “Drink that,” Hyrule ordered tersely as he rolled up Wild’s sleeve and began to wrap thick, soft linen around the cut. Wild sighed again, _loudly_ , but did as he was told. As soon as Hyrule was done, Wild wasted no time in escaping to the campfire where his cooking pot sat ready and waiting.

Out of everything, Wild most excelled at cooking. Maybe that wasn’t the skill a Hero should be best at, but Wild didn’t care. Every time he was able to help his friends heal with food, every time he saw their happy smiles as they enjoyed his cooking, his heart threatened to burst from joy. So, Wild threw his all into fixing up a hearty stew. Hopefully, it would help everyone-Four especially-recover their strength.

It was the least he could do for the people that meant so much to him.

~*~

Four recovered well thanks to a combination of potions, food, and fussing over by the mother cuccos of the group (Sky and Hyrule). After a full night of rest, he'd regained some color and lost much of the glassiness in his eyes. Four insisted he was no longer dizzy, and he demonstrated walking in a perfectly straight line when Warriors asked him to prove it. After a bit of discussion, everyone felt comfortable with continuing on their journey, albeit a bit slower than usual.

It was a warm day, almost unpleasantly so. Not even the canopy of leaves above their heads could completely keep the sun's rays from beating down on Wild's shoulders and soaking into his skin. Wild was no stranger to heat, but he wouldn't have expected such warmth in the midst of a forest. He was very temped to change into his Gerudo Voe armor, but he didn’t want to deal with the teasingly that would inevitably ensue (he didn’t even want to _imagine_ what the reaction would be if he donned his Vai set). So, he suffered in silence, wiping away the beads of perspiration that slid down his temples. When they all stopped for a quick midday meal, Wild couldn’t hold back his sigh of relief as they settled in the shade.

“I can’t believe how warm it is today,” he commented.

Several of the others looked at him oddly. Wind actually frowned indignantly. “It’s not warm, it’s cold!”

“I wouldn’t classify it as cold,” Warriors said with a chuckle, “I think it’s quite pleasant out today.”

“It is a bit cool,” Four said.

Wild shook his head at them. “You’re all crazy.”

Hyrule gave him a long look. “What kind of places have you been if you think this is warm?”

“Are there a lot of cold places in your Hyrule?” Sky asked, sitting down beside Wild.

“Um, I mean, I guess,” Wild thought about it for a few seconds. “I did spend a lot of time in the Hebra region. It was really cold there, but it was the best place for hunting.” Maybe he _had_ gotten used to the cold; it wasn’t impossible. “There was also this rich guy that lived up there that would give a gold rupee to anyone who could knock over these giant wooden statues with a snowball in one go. I… made a lot of money off that guy,” he added sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. It sounded way worse when it was said out loud.

There were several sighs of exasperation at his admission, but Time chuckled and said, “Sounds a lot like bowling.”

Wild blinked, surprised at the comment. “That’s actually what it was called.”

Time smiled slightly at Wild’s apparent bewilderment. “It’s a popular children’s game, though adults enjoy playing it as well.”

“Huh,” Legend said, “never heard of it.”

And with that, the conversation drifted to obscure things that were different in each Hero’s Hyrule. Wild followed along with discussion for a while, but soon found himself distracted by the feeling of someone watching him. When he followed the feeling, he found Twilight eyeing him strangely. As soon as Wild caught his eye, Twilight raised an eyebrow that Wild interpreted to mean ‘ _you okay?_ ’

Wild rolled his eyes at his mentor and turned away, though he couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face. It felt nice to be cared about, no matter how much he might deny it.

They only rested for a few more minutes before continuing on, and Wild sighed in disappointment that he had to leave the shade. With the momentary reprieve, the heat felt even more oppressive than before. It seeped through his clothing and crawled into his pores. Soon, a fine coat of sweat clung to every inch of his skin, and his tunic became unbearably stifling. Wild endured it for a time, but eventually, it grew so bad that he wet one of his extra tunics with water from his waterskin and hung it around his neck. Instantly, he felt better. He sighed at the blessed coolness dripping down his neck.

After many hours, the sun dipped below the distant mountains, taking with it the scorching rays that had become the bane of Wild’s existence. The air cooled dramatically to Wild’s great relief, and the group of Heroes left the road and found a good bit of ground to settle on for the night. Wild only took the time to set his things near Twilight’s before he got to work building a fire and preparing dinner.

The heat had taken its toll on him. More than he’d initially realized. Weariness pulled at his limbs and tugged at his eyelids. He still felt sticky and gross, but there was nowhere nearby to wash up, and using their drinking water to do so wouldn’t be smart. He’d already used enough of that earlier to cool himself off.

Four had run into a similar problem. The smith sat moreosly on the ground, picking flakes of blood out of his blond locks. At least he was no longer the color of fresh paper; his skin once more glowed with a healthy hue.

As he crouched by the fire, prepping ingredients and letting his mind wander a bit, a yawn quickly overtook Wild, and he blinked the sleepiness from his eyes. He looked forward to sliding into his bedroll and falling asleep.

When dinner was done and the dishes cleaned and repacked, Wild didn’t waste any time, immediately laying down and tugging his blanket over his head. He was asleep before he’d completed the action.

~*~

It seemed to Wild that he had barely closed his eyes when the early light of dawn decided to filter through the leafy canopy and shine directly on his face. It blazed against his eyelids, cutting through the blackness of his slumber, and Wild could only groan and pull his blanket further up in a vain attempt to block it out. Was it possible to be more tired after sleeping through the entire night? He suspected it was, feeling the way his limbs were imitating leaden logs. Fatigue tugged at every part of him, and he wanted nothing more than to let his mind fall back into the blissful embrace of sleep.

But the thought of his friends waking up to no breakfast sent a little sliver of guilt stabbing right into his heart. With a deep sigh of great suffering, Wild sat up, letting his blanket fall from his head and pool in his lap. He squinted in the terrible sunlight and immediately winced as a headache manifested. Maybe he _should_ rest a bit more. But no, the others were beginning to stir as well.

He rubbed at his temples, hoping the pressure would relieve the throbbing somewhat, and hauled himself to his feet. The change in height caused his vision to swim for a moment, and he stumbled in his attempt to stay upright. After several seconds of blinking, the dizziness faded.

Strange. Wild must not have gotten very restful sleep. He’d never had that problem before (he’d gone days on his original journey without a wink of sleep and been totally fine), but maybe his hundred plus years were finally catching up with him. Time and Twilight always complained about getting older, so he knew it was bound to happen eventually.

Sighing at the thought of another miserable day of travel, Wild went to find his pack and scrounge together some semblance of a meal.

An hour later, the entire group was up and on their way again. Mornings were always quiet affairs, and Wild was immensely grateful. Already, the sun’s rays had turned the surrounding air into a furnace, and the steady throbbing behind his eyes didn’t help things at all. When the early morning sleepiness had finally faded and the usual high energy conversations began, Wild did his best to join in. But he was tired, and his head hurt, and his clothes stuck to the perspiration beading against his skin in an increasingly itchy manor. He was sure he was failing at feigning normalcy despite his efforts. This was confirmed when he caught Twilight giving him searching looks several times throughout the day, but he simply ignored the older Hero and tried to engage more.

He was relieved when the sun finally descended below the horizon, and he could once more fall into his bedroll. He shivered at the biting chill in the air, surprised at how drastically the temperature had fallen from earlier in the day. He wondered if he could convince Twilight to sleep next to him as Wolfie, but his exhaustion pulled him into dreamland before he got the chance to ask.

~*~

The next day proceeded in much the same way: hot, tired, and miserable. Wild muddled through the hours of walking in a haze of discomfort, speaking only when spoken to in order to save his strength. Not that it helped much. By the time evening had fallen and it was time to set up camp, Wild’s energy had been completely spent. He was forced to sit and rest for a while before starting dinner.

And when he did finally dive into his meal preparations, he could only frown in confusion. It wasn’t tasting right. He’d followed his own tried and true recipe, not deviating in the slightest, and yet the flavor was lacking. It tasted like it needed more rock salt, but he worried about adding too much.

To be on the safe side, he called Sky over. “Will you taste this for me?” Sky always liked what Wild made, and he was without bias, so Wild could trust what he said.

And asking Sky was a _far_ safer option than asking Twilight and giving the older Hero an excuse to fuss over Wild. Twilight had continued sending his protégé little glances throughout the day, and the knowing look in Twilight's azure eyes told Wild that his mentor was not at all fooled by Wild's attempts to act as though nothing was wrong. Honestly, Wild was surprised Twilight hadn't yet called him out on it and demanded to know what was wrong. Even though Twilight knew Wild hated being smothered and was usually good about giving him space, Wild knew the older Hero would not pass up an opportunity to be a mother cucco when one presented itself.

Sky took the tasting spoon Wild extended towards him. He tried a bite of the meat, and his eyes lit up. “It’s great! Just as good as it always is!”

“Huh.” Well that was weird.

“What?” Sky asked, brows drawing together in confusion.

Wild hesitated, but he had no real reason to keep it to himself. Even so, he couldn't shake his paranoia about revealing too much. “I thought it was kind of bland, but I guess it’s just me.”

“Maybe you’re getting sick.” When Wild blinked at him in bewilderment, Sky smiled slightly and elaborated. “It’s harder to taste things when you’re sick.” He tapped his nose. “I think it has something to do with smell.”

That just sounded weird, but it was the most plausible explanation Wild had at the moment. He smiled gratefully. “Maybe that’s it. Thanks.”

Sky grinned back. “No problem.”

No one commented on the food, besides thanking Wild and remarking that it was good, so Wild could only assume that Sky had been right. He went to bed feeling confident that whatever he was suffering from, it would go away soon.

By morning though, such thoughts were far from his mind.

Wild didn’t wake with the sun as he usually did. Instead, the feeling of his shoulder being shaken dragged him into consciousness. Wakefulness came slowly, unwillingly, and with an unpleasant churning of his stomach. For a moment, he did nothing but breath through the feeling, willing his stomach to settle. It did after a minute, and he managed to pry his eyes open. The first thing he saw was Twilight leaning over him, eyes pinched with worry.

“Wild? You okay, Cub?”

Wild blinked a few more times to orient himself and slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. “Yeah,” he rasped, wincing at the sharp spike of pain that lanced across his forehead. It wasn’t just his head though. His joints and muscles had started to ache. He’d felt this way before when he’d taken punch from a hinox, though at the time, he’d had the thrill of battle and adrenaline to help him through the pain. Now all he could do was grit his teeth and bite back the groan of misery that wanted to force its way past his teeth. Practically every inch of him hurt. “I think.”

Twilight looked deeply concerned, and Wild immediately felt guilty for causing that distress, so he smiled and did his best to push the pain from his expression. “Really, I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Hmm.” Twilight didn’t comment on that, and he certainly didn’t look convinced, but he did offer a hand to pull Wild to his feet. Wild accepted the hand gratefully. Twilight still said nothing when Wild had to grip the older Hero’s arm to keep from toppling back to the ground once he was fully erect. Wild blinked away the black spots that danced across his vision and looked around.

He found that everyone had been up for some time and had scrounged up food for breakfast already. Wild hated knowing that he had shirked his duty, even unintentionally, but he was also secretly relieved everyone had managed by themselves. He did not feel well at all. Aching pain was worse in some ways that the sharp pain of an injury. At least with an injury, there was a reason for the pain. Aches were invisible and deep, and Wild hated them.

He moved as slowly as he dared to avoid hurting too much. He hoped that moving around would ease some of his stiffness, but so far that hope had not come to fruition. Mentally sighing, Wild donned his blue Champion's tunic and gathering up his things. It wasn’t until he was packed and ready to go that he realized the camp was completely silent. Even for early morning, that was unusual. Frowning, he turned to the others, only to find them all watching at him.

“What?” he asked, raising his brows.

His fellow Heroes exchanged heavy glances. “Wild, we can tell you’re not well,” Time began gently

Wild blinked. It hadn’t been a question, so Wild was unsure how to respond. Before he could figure it out, Twilight spoke up. “Don’t try to deny it, either. You’ve been complaining that it’s hot, you’ve slept like the dead, you keep acting like you have a headache, and you’re moving around like you’re actually a hundred and eighteen.”

"Well, he _is_ a hundred and eighteen," Legend put in helpfully, crossing his arms and raising a brow at Twilight.

The look Twilight shot Legend was dry enough to put the desert to shame. "You know what I mean."

Wild only sighed. So much for sucking it up until he got better. “I wasn’t going to deny it.” He’d totally been planning on it. “I… I guess I _haven’t_ been feeling well.”

“You probably really are sick,” Sky said kindly.

Wind gasped dramatically. “Do you have a cold? I used to get those all the time when I was a kid.” He said this despite his very youthful age. “Do you ache all over?”

Wild stared. “Um, yeah actually I do.”

Wind nodded sagely, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. “Definitely a cold. That’s a sure sign.”

“Huh,” Wild considered this. “I can’t remember ever being sick before,” _not that that’s unusual_ , he thought wryly, “but I guess it's possible.”

Much of the tension and worry in the atmosphere dissipated, and several Heroes sighed in open relief. Wild wondered what they'd thought was wrong with him, though he supposed it didn't really matter. A simple cold didn't sound so bad compared to the myriad of suffering the Heroes had gone through during their quests. Wild could endure.

Time smiled slightly and rested a hand on Wild’s shoulder. “We can stay here another day and let you rest up.”

There was no way Wild was going to let himself hold the group back. He shook his head but immediately regretted the action when it throbbed painfully. “No, I’m fine to travel. Really,” he added when he received several looks of disbelief.

Time gave him a long, searching stare, lips pursed in displeasure. Wild put on his best pleading expression, the one that almost always made Twilight cave. He didn’t know if it would work on Time though.

It did. Time sighed. “Alright, then, but let us know if you start feeling worse.”

Wild nodded quickly and instantly berated himself for forgetting, _again,_ that moving his head was a very bad idea. As Wild bent down to pick up his gear, he caught the significant look Time exchanged with Twilight out of the corner of his eye. And when everyone began following the trail once more, Twilight hung back to walk next to Wild.

Twilight didn’t say anything for a few minutes, which was fine with Wild. He noticed that the pace Time set was considerably slower than normal. Wild felt somewhat guilty knowing he was the cause of it, but his tired, aching muscles thanked the older Hero.

After about fifteen minutes, Twilight finally broke the silence that stretched between them. “If you need to rest, say something. You won’t do anyone any good by collapsing.”

Wild wanted to grumble at that, he hated being mollycoddled, but that would have taken too much energy and it wouldn’t do any good anyway. Twilight just wanted to look out for him. “I will,” he promised.

Twilight glanced at him sharply for that, as though he was surprised at Wild’s acquiescence, but he didn’t say anything else. Nor did anyone comment when Twilight called for a rest a few hours later. Wild was too tired to even be annoyed that Twilight had done so without asking him first. He sat in the shade of a large tree, leaning his head against the bark and lightly dozing while the others chatted softly and ate a small, midday meal. When Twilight gently shook him awake about an hour later, Wild barely managed to keep the anguish off his face, and he forced his leaden limbs to continue their journey.

They walked for some time more, but Time called for them to make camp when the sun was barely three hours past its zenith. They had found a good campsite though, well protected with a small cave to shelter them. Twilight led Wild into the cave and told him to sleep. Again, Wild couldn’t bring himself to care about Twilight's bossiness. He simply lay on the bedroll that Twilight had kindly laid out for him and immediately went to sleep. Or perhaps it was more akin to passing out.

~*~

Twilight sat beside Wild for a few minutes, assuring himself that the teen was fine and soundly asleep before joining the others at the mouth of the cave. Legend had started a fire while Warriors and Hyrule gathered extra wood from the nearby ground. Time stood in the midst of it all, surveying everything with crossed arms and a thoughtful frown. He didn’t turn when Twilight stood next to him, but he did ask, “How is he?”

Twilight sighed. He wanted to be angry at Time for not insisting that Wild spend the day resting; the boy was too frustratingly stubborn for his own good. But, he knew why Time hadn’t. Twilight knew the older Hero hadn’t wanted to continue traveling any more than Twilight had, but their campsite had been woefully insecure, far too unsafe to house a sick person for any length of time, and if they wanted Wild to get better, they needed to find a place they could easily defend that would also provide protection against the elements. As soon as they had found a place that met those requirements, they had stopped.

“He’s asleep,” Twilight finally said.

“Good,” Time said. “Sleep will help.” He clapped a comforting hand on Twilight’s shoulder. “He’s fortunate to have you.”

Twilight couldn’t even feel pleased to receive praise, so deep was his concern for Wild. “He’s like a brother,” he said softly. “I… I hate seeing him like this.” Twilight was powerless. This wasn’t a battle injury he could dress, nor an emotional hurt he could soothe. Time seemed to sense the unspoken words however, and he gave Twilight a long look.

“You are not responsible for everything. You must come to realize this before it destroys you.”

Twilight knew Time was right, but it didn’t make it any easier. He nodded mutely.

Seemingly satisfied that Twilight would think on what he’d said, Time gently led Twilight towards the fire and made him sit on one of the logs ringing it. Wind and Sky were both attempting to make soup in Wild’s cooking pot. Wind was gesturing wildly, saying something about his grandma’s recipe, while a harried looking Sky did his best to keep up with the scattered instructions. It would have been an amusing sight on a good day.

Legend came over after eyeing the two substitute cooks with mistrust. “How’s the invalid?”

“Sleeping,” Twilight said shortly.

Legend rolled his eyes. “He’ll be fine. It’s just a cold.”

“Even colds can be dangerous,” Hyrule said, also coming near. Twilight felt glad that Hyrule at least looked concerned for Wild.

Legend raised a skeptical brow. “Really? And how exactly are they so dangerous?”

“How do you know it’s even really a cold?” Four asked before Hyrule could respond. All eyes flicked towards the shortest Hero. Even Wind and Sky paused their dinner preparations.

“What do you mean?” asked Sky, brows drawing together nervously and hand frozen in mid-stir over the pot.

Twilight hadn't paid much attention to Four that day, being busy keeping an eye on Wild, but he had noticed the smith's thoughtful frown the few times Twilight had glanced his way, and the way Four had eyed Wild with thinly veiled worry.

“Nothing’s ever simple with us, is it?” Four said, shrugging lightly, though he also averted his eyes and bit his lip. “I don’t know what’s going on, but we can’t just assume the best when it could be the worst.”

No one had anything to say to that. Twilight saw the moment true concern blossomed in almost every single one of his friends as they considered Four's words. The sight only intensified Twilight's own worry. Needing to be elsewhere, he stood. “I’m going to go sit with him.” He ignored the somber looks he received as he made his way back into the cave.

Whether it was the best case or the worst, Twilight would be right beside Wild. No one deserved to be alone.

Least of all Wild.

~*~

Twilight shook Wild awake around dinner time. As Wild's mind was forced from the comfortable fog of unconsciousness, his misery returned with all the subtlety of a Goron wielding a sledgehammer, and Wild remembered exactly why he felt like death warmed over.

“Hey,” Twilight said softly. “Do you feel up to eating something?”

Wild wanted to say no and go back to sleep. But when he peered up at Twilights’ face, he saw that his mentor wore a firm expression and was not about to let him off the hook that easily.

He suppressed a tired groan. “Yeah.”

Twilight helped him to his feet and wordlessly put a supportive arm around his waist when Wild stumbled. The world tilted on its axis, and Wild squeezed his eyes shut until the ground stopped spinning and his churning stomach settled somewhat. Finally, he felt steady enough to make his way out of the cave with Twilight's help.

The others greeted him with smiles that didn't reach their eyes and cautious queries of how he was feeling. Wild tried to return the smiles, but judging from the worried looks that were exchanged, he didn’t quite pull it off.

Twilight sat him down on the nearest log, and Sky appeared from thin air on Wild's other side. Wild only had time to jolt in surprise before Sky placed a bowl of soup in his hands. It looked shockingly edible considering it had been made by someone other than him. Yet despite the pleasant aroma, Wild didn’t feel particularly hungry--his stomach flipped and roiled at the mere thought of food--but he knew he needed energy to get better. When he picked up the spoon to eat, however, he found his hand shaking. He immediately dropped the utensil back into the bowl and glanced around, hoping no one had seen it.

His hopes were dashed. Everyone was watching him, ignoring their own food to do so. Wild felt a blush creeping up his neck, and his eyes desperately sought out Twilight. Twilight had been watching him too, but when their gazed locked, understanding passed between them. Twilight turned to Hyrule and started up a conversation. It was inane and pointless, but everyone else took the hint and resumed eating and chatting amongst themselves. Wild’s shoulders drooped in relief as some semblance of normalcy returned. The atmosphere was forcefully light, and many furtive glances were still shot his way, but Wild no longer felt suffocated under the weight of those stares. His shaking hand refused to still, but he ignored it, carefully loading up his spoon and taking a sip.

“It’s good right?” Wind came over excitedly, claiming the empty seat next to Wild. “It’s my grandma’s recipe! She made it every time me or my little sister got sick, and it always made us better!”

Wind had such enthusiasm, almost bouncing in his seat next to Wild, that Wild couldn’t help but smile. “Well, your grandma is a great cook.”

Wind beamed, and Wild caught Sky and Hyrule chuckling softly while Time watched with a small smile. “She sure is! Make sure you eat it all or you won’t get better!” He left to go sit next to Warriors again, and Wild took another sip and another, methodically and mechanically emptying his bowl. He hadn’t lied exactly, he was sure that Wind’s grandma was a great cook.

He just couldn’t taste a thing.

He was relieved when the last of the soup had disappeared and he could stop pretending to enjoy it. Immediately the bowl was snatched from his weary hands by Twilight, who gave him a stern look and said, “Right, now back to bed.”

Even if Wild could have mustered up the strength to argue, he wouldn’t have wanted to. He was so bone weary it was hard to believe that he was still upright. Nodding slowly, he carefully levered himself to his feet. He was mildly surprised when he didn’t faceplant, and even more so that he didn’t feel as shaky as before. A genuine smile slid onto his face as he bid the others goodnight and made his way into the cave. Sliding into his bedroll, he couldn’t help but feel more optimistic. He didn’t feel as bad as he had previously, and he clung to the hope that morning would bring about the start to his recovery.

~*~

Twilight watched Wild retreat back into the cave to hopefully sleep. As soon as he saw his protégé lay down, he sighed and set his food aside. He had no appetite, though he was glad that Wild had managed to eat something. He could only hope that it helped ease whatever he was suffering from. The teen had been so pale and shaky, trembling like a newborn fawn, that Twilight had been unable to concentrate on anything else while Wild sat beside him.

“Cheer up, Twilight,” Warriors said. “He seemed better tonight.”

“It might take a few days, but I’m sure he’ll get over his cold soon,” Sky put in helpfully.

“Yeah,” Legend said, leaning back against a tree and crossing his arms. “That’s assuming that whatever’s wrong with him is a cold.”

Twilight thought that was ironic coming from the person who hadn’t been worried earlier, but perhaps seeing how ill Wild was had changed Legend’s mind. Whatever the case, he couldn’t disagree, and if the melancholy atmosphere of the camp was any indication, he wasn’t the only one.

“What can we do?” Hyrule asked quietly, a note of desperation in his voice. Twilight glanced over at the younger boy, noting his downcast eyes and the way he worried his lip between his teeth. Twilight sometimes forgot how close he and Wild were. The two adventurers. The two lonely Heroes.

“We’ll give him a potion in the morning,” Time said gently but firmly. “The results will determine our next move.”

“We don’t exactly have a lot of potions left,” Legend said.

“Would you deny him one?” Twilight asked softly, staring over the fire to meet Legend’s eyes. The camp grew unnaturally quiet once again, as the others waited with bated breath to see what would happen next. It was times like these that Twilight could feel the wolf writhing just beneath his skin, teeth barred and hackles raised. He only ever felt that way when one of his own was threatened, and Wild was at the top of the list of people Twilight would die to protect. He wouldn’t back down.

And everyone knew it.

Legend scoffed and closed his eyes. He was acting nonchalant, but everyone could see the way his shoulders had tensed. “Of course not. I was simply stating a fact.”

Hyrule, Sky, and Wind all sighed audibly in relief. Legend snapped his eyes open and glared at the offenders, pride no doubt wounded.

“He’s not wrong though,” Four said, eyes downcast and an undertone of guilt in his voice. “We are running low on potions.”

Warriors clapped him on the shoulder. “It’s not your fault for that.” Four nodded but didn’t seem like he believed it.

Hyrule suddenly chuckled, drawing everyone’s gaze. “We could always take a page out of Wild’s book. Find a fairy and throw it in a cooking pot.”

“ _What?”_ Time had been gazing into the fire in contemplation, but when he heard Hyrule’s joking suggestion, his head snapped up and his sharp gaze locked onto the younger Hero. Hyrule blanched as he found himself the recipient of Time’s dark glare. Twilight winced in sympathy. He recalled the incident that Hyrule referred to. He also recalled warning the group to _never_ bring it up in front of Time.

Even as he shook his head at their stupidity, a sudden idea popped into his head. “Fairy.”

Hyrule ceased his attempts to rectify the mess he’d made—Time’s merciless stare hadn’t wavered, so Hyrule wasn’t even doing a good job of it—stilling his wildly gesturing hands and latching onto Twilight’s voice like a drowning man would a lifeline. “What was that?” He quickly came over, sitting on the log next to Twilight where Wild had been not too long ago, glancing nervously at Time out of the corner of his eye as he did. “What about a fairy?”

Twilight gave Hyrule a dry look. If Hyrule expected that Twilight would keep him safe from Time’s ire, then he was sorely mistaken. Twilight sighed. He'd deal with the repercussions of Hyrule's loose tongue later. “Whatever Wild is suffering from, whether it's a cold or... something else, it's affecting him badly. If it gets worse, he could... his life could be in danger. I don't know if potions will even work on something that's not a physical injury, but there is something that we know would work for sure. A Fairy Fountain.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Warriors said. He crossed his arms. “Just one problem. We don’t know where one is.”

“Or if they even exist wherever we are,” Legend said, waving a hand at their surroundings.

“They should,” Hyrule said. “I think every Hyrule has some version of them.”

“But how do we find them?” Wind asked, biting his lip and looking at each of them in turn.

That was the problem. They had no foolproof way of finding one, no way of knowing how far away one might be.

“We just have to look,” Twilight said, and he hated the way his voice cracked at the end. He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath. Wild would be fine. Twilight wouldn’t allow anything else. “Even if it’s not a Great Fairy, just a regular fairy itself might help.”

“But…” Sky hesitated. “Should we really be travelling while Wild is so sick?”

It was a fair point. Wild’s health and safety was their top priority. Just earlier that day, Twilight had been upset at the need to travel when Wild had been so ill. And here Twilight was suggesting that very same thing.

Time sighed and closed his good eye. “There are no Fairy Fountains the way we’ve come, that we know for certain. That means we have two options before us. We can leave Wild here with one or two of us for defense while the rest journey onward and search for a fountain. While this means that Wild doesn’t have to travel, it leaves him with little protection, and it will take longer to get him the help that he may need. Or, we take Wild with us. We will have to travel at a slower pace, but our entire group would be around to defend him, and he’ll be closer to where we need him to be.” Time finally opened his eye and looked at the others. “What are your thoughts?”

No one spoke up. That wasn’t an easy question. The answer would basically determine the fate of another person, for better or for worse. Twilight felt a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach. What was the right answer?

Warriors was the first to speak after several minutes of silence. “I think we should take him along with us.”

“But that might make him worse!” Hyrule cried. He recoiled, cheeks reddening, as he realized how loud his outburst had been. “I… I think we should leave him here with a few of us.”

“I agree with Warriors,” Four said, not meeting Hyrule’s eyes.

“And I agree with Hyrule,” Sky said. “We don’t even know if there will be a fairy fountain in the direction we’re heading. And Wild might really just need the rest.”

“You probably know what I think,” Legend said, gesturing vaguely at Warriors.

“Well, I think Sky and Hyrule are right,” Wind said, folding his arms and glaring at Legend. Legend only shrugged in response.

Everyone’s eyes drifted over to Twilight. Only he and Time hadn’t given their opinion, and so far, it was a tie, everyone divided equally on how to proceed. Twilight wasn’t sure how Time felt, and it would do no good to try to decipher the older man’s feelings from his expression. That was as hard and unreadable as granite. Twilight felt a heavy weight settle on his shoulders, and he dropped his head into his hands. It just felt wrong, sitting there and discussing Wild and what they should do for him. He desperately wished that the teen was well enough to sit with them and be a part of the debate.

And then a thought hit him. Was it really right to make these decisions without Wild? Couldn’t it wait until morning? With resolve, Twilight lifted his head. “We should wait until morning. See how Wild reacts to the potion, and then ask him what he would prefer.”

The others exchanged glances at the odd development, but Time looked only at Twilight and nodded, a proud smile on his face.

~*~

Wild should have been used to having his hopes dashed, but somehow he never quite managed it.

What little strength he had regained the night before had vanished, and if it was even possible, he felt worse than ever before. His body could sense that it was daytime, time to get up. But though he recognized that, he knew he just didn’t have the energy. His leaden limbs would barely obey his commands to move, his head pounded with each heartbeat, every joint held an ache so deep it was hard to focus on anything else. And annoyingly, his tongue felt thick and awkward in his mouth, dry like sandpaper.

Goddess, what was wrong with him? Was this really what it felt like to have a cold? If so, he would prefer cutting his left arm off rather than have to go through one again. Nothing was worth this. Even dying seemed a much more pleasant experience. Dying, especially in battle, took its victims quickly most of the time. There wasn’t the slow draining of vitality that he was currently enduring.

Through the ringing in his ears, Wild thought he heard footsteps. Then there was the sound of someone talking, muffled as though the person was trying to speak to him underwater. He tried to ask whoever it was to speak more clearly, but only a quiet whimper escaped his lips. He was so tired. Even his eyelids refused to part and allow him to see who it was.

Wild felt something press against his forehead and then there was more speaking. After a few minutes, something cool and smooth was pressed against his lips. A bottle. And, if the bitter flavor that rolled across his tongue was anything to go by, it contained red potion. Wild didn’t even care about the awful taste. He was so thirsty he would have drunk dirty bog water if that was his only option.

After downing the red potion, Wild began to feel better. His head still hurt and his whole body ached fiercely, but it was lessening enough that he could finally pry his eyes open and sit up with a groan. He blinked to clear his vision and looked around blearily. Though, he thought with a wince, he might have been better off keeping his eyes closed.

He was surrounded by his fellow Heroes, all of whom were looking at him as though he might keel over and die at any moment. If Wild still felt as bad as he had a moment ago, he might have agreed with that concern. But as the red potion continued to work its magic, he felt that he could function relatively well and was in no immediate danger of dying.

“Cub,” Twilight said gently, “How are you feeling?”

Wild grimaced. Twilight sat right next to him, and he had an arm around Wild’s shoulders, presumably to help support him. Hyrule, Wind, and Sky were also crouched on the cave floor around him while Time, Warriors, Four, and Legend stood above them. Their presence made the tiny cave seem that much smaller, and if Wild had never suffered from claustrophobia until that moment, well he certainly developed it then.

Realizing he hadn’t actually answered yet, he forced a wan smile onto his face. “I’ve… been better,” he admitted.

Twilight and the others exchanged loaded looks, and Wild felt that he’d missed something significant. He couldn’t read anything from the frowns that surrounded him, however, so he remained quiet.

Twilight sighed, turning back to Wild. “Cub, we’ve been… discussing options. It’s clear to all of us that you’re very ill and not getting better. _And_ ,” he held up a hand to forestall the disagreement that Wild had been about to voice, “while, I know you’d like to deny the seriousness, that’s a risk none of us are willing to take. We’ve decided to seek out a Great Fairy.”

Wild blinked. “There’s a Great Fairy around here?”

Twilight grimaced. “We-We don’t know for sure that there is, but,” he sighed wearily, and Wild noticed the dark shadows under his eyes, the way his broad shoulders sagged under an invisible weight, “we’re out of options here.”

Wild hated this. He hated feeling like a burden. The others were worried about him, and now they were going out of their way to try to find something that might help him. Brimming with guilt, Wild averted his eyes so his friends couldn’t see the tears that started to fill them. “O-okay then.”

Twilight gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze, and when Wild looked up at him, Twilight smiled. “I know what you’re thinking, so stop it. You’re not a burden.”

Yes, he was, but Twilight wouldn’t accept that answer. So, Wild took a deep breath and nodded in acceptance, though it was a lie.

Twilight gave him a long, searching look, and Wild wondered if he could sense the falsehood. Twilight had that uncanny ability to read Wild’s thoughts. Maybe it had something to do with being a wolf. Or maybe it was simply because he spent so much time with Wild. Whatever the case, the scrutiny made Wild shift uncomfortably.

“We have two options.” Wild looked over at Time where the older man stood frowning with his arms crossed. His serious demeanor was from the gravity of the situation and not a lack of care, Wild knew. “You can stay here with two or three of us while the rest of us scout for a fountain, or you can come with us and we look for it as a group. There are disadvantages to both options, so ultimately, it comes down to your decision.”

“Mine?” Wild balked. “But-“

“It’s only right,” Four said, cutting him off. “We can’t very well make a decision about you without your input.” As he said this, he glanced at Twilight, who nodded slowly.

Wild looked at each of them, meeting their eyes and seeing nothing but sincerity and concern. He sighed and dropped his gaze to his hands resting in his lap. They were as scarred as the rest of him, from burns and blades and his own early mishaps at cooking. The pads of his fingers bore hard calluses he'd developed from climbing, and his palms had been tore up from many slips on rocky surfaces. Now, a weighty choice rested in those hands. 

Wild could feel the waiting stares of his fellow Heroes heavily upon him. He didn’t like this. He was no leader. Making a decision that only affected himself was one thing, but being forced to decide for the entire group was another entirely. Wild could potentially put them in grave danger through a single judgement call.

He swallowed against the tightening of his throat and curled his scarred hands into trembling fists. He forced his thoughts to remain in the present. Descending back in time to dwell on his failures wouldn’t do any good. He couldn’t, _wouldn’t,_ think about how he’d let down the only other group he’d ever been a part of.

Wild glanced up at Twilight. At Time. Even Warriors. They all made it look so easy. Were they brimming with so much confidence that doubt and worry never even crossed their minds? Or did they simply push past such negative feelings and lead in spite of them?

He hoped it was the latter, because that was the only thing he could do in the situation.

Steeling himself and praying he wasn’t making a terrible mistake, he said, “Let’s go together.”

The others exchanged brief glances—some filled with worry, others with confidence—before nodding.

Time exhaled deeply, though Wild was unable to determine if it was from relief or disappointment. “Alright, let’s pack up then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, boring set up is now finished. On to the good stuff!
> 
> Stay tuned!


	3. Remembered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The past is revealed: Part II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nationwide panic has resulted in the closure of my workplace, thereby increasing the amount of time I have to write and edit. So, you get to enjoy a quick update. Happy Quarantine!

“You sure you don’t want me to carry you?”

“For the last time, _no.”_

“… We could have Warriors do it instead.”

Wild shot Twilight the filthiest glare he could muster up. Though, with his hair plastered to his sweat-slicked forehead, trembling limbs, and inability to carry his own gear, he knew it was probably quite ineffective.

Twilight didn’t even bat an eye. The older Hero carried both his own and Wild’s things, though Wild’s slate remained in the holder at his hip (no one would carry that for him; not even Twilight). The ranch hand hadn’t left Wild’s side since the group of Heroes had stared walking, and as the hours ticked by, Twilight's unrelenting offers were growing more and more forceful. 

Wild was less than thrilled with the insistence. He wasn’t a kid, and he wasn’t helpless. Sure, he was in growing agony and completely miserable. Sure, he was questioning his intelligence for choosing to trek through the forest and search for a Fairy Fountain that may or may not exist. Sure, every step was harder than the last, and his feet were practically carving ruts in the ground from his shuffling. And sure, Twilight could probably see as plain as day that Wild's condition was rapidly deteriorating.

But Wild would _not_ be carried.

Wild clenched his jaw and inhaled deeply, grasping at the last shreds of his patience. Wild only had himself to blame for his current predicament; there'd be no justification in lashing out at his mentor. Wild had been overy optimistic about his ability to travel. The potion he'd drunk that morning had eased the worst of his symptoms, and he'd been mostly fine. But with each passing minute, the effects of the potion diminished, and it grew harder and harder to continue on. And yet, he managed, with sheer willpower alone, to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. Right. Left. Right. Left. He just had to keep moving. Any other option was unacceptable. 

The Heroes had been walking for several hours, surrounding Wild in a loose diamond formation. Every so often, one or two of Wild's companions would deviate from the beaten path to scout a little deeper into the forest. They hadn’t yet found anything, but no one was ready to give up hope.

After several hours, Time stopped and raised a hand. “Okay, let’s rest here for a moment.”

‘Here’ was a small area where the path widened. On either side, logs and rocks rested on the ground at the edge of the trees, and Wild could see bits of charred wood scattered about. It looked like a common place for travelers to rest during their journeys.

Wild felt a surge of gratitude for Time, and he sighed happily as he finally allowed his aching legs to still. Unfortunately, as soon as he stopped concentrating on remaining upright, his knees gave out.

With a surprised yelp, Wild crashed to the ground on his hands and knees. For a few seconds, everyone simply stared at him kneeling awkwardly in the dirt, and Wild's ears burned from embarrassment. Then, breaking out of their shock like a monster from stasis, they rushed to help, babbling questions regarding his health and wellness to the point that Wild couldn't even tell what they were saying.

Twilight, laden as he was with gear, didn’t have a free hand to pull Wild to his feet, but Sky was also quite close, and he reached Wild's side before any of the other Heroes. He reached down and seized Wild by his left bicep with a worried look.

Wild smiled sheepishly as Sky hauled him to his feet. “Thanks.”

“That’s what friends are for,” Sky replied, releasing Wild with a comforting pat on the arm. “Just don’t push yourself… too…” Sky trailed off as he glanced down at the hand he’d just used to pull Wild to his feet. It was covered in blood.

Wild inhaled sharply, concern for his friend seizing his heart. He opened his mouth to ask Sky what had happened, but Sky beat him to it.

Staring at Wild’s left sleeve, Sky’s face paled. “Wild you’re bleeding.”

Wild blinked, concerned queries dying on the tip of his tongue. He looked down at his left arm, and sure enough, blood had soaked through the fabric of his sleeve.

Everyone huddled around Wild to get a better look at the mysterious blood stain.

"You're hurt!" Wind gasped.

Wild frowned. “But… I haven’t been injured.”

"Blood doesn't just come from nowhere," Warriors said, eyes flicking from Sky's bloody palm to Wild's arm.

Hyrule stared at Wild's stained sleeve even more intently than the other Heroes. “Isn’t that the arm you had a cut on?”

“Um…” now that Wild thought about it, it _was._ He’d gotten cut fighting a moblin. “Yeah, but… that was days ago.”

“It should have already healed long ago,” Time murmered.

Twilight clenched his jaw, his expression as hard as stone. “Take off your tunic.”

Wild’s hasty protests fell on deaf ears as he was manhandled to the side of the little clearing by Hyrule and Sky and forced to sit on the nearest log. Twilight divested himself of the gear he was carrying and joined the others in crowding around Wild while Hyrule stripped Wild of his tunic and the bandage (that he’d admittedly forgotten about) around his upper arm.

Wild hadn't anticipated hearing gasps of horror from his companions and seeing their eyes widen with shock, but when he looked down at himself, he understood their reaction.

His cut hadn't healed at all since the day he’d gotten it. Despite having drunk two red potions and having had several days pass, it was still bleeding sluggishly. It hadn’t been a deep cut, and the amount of blood he was losing was barely more than a trickle, which was probably the reason it had only now soaked through the bandage. But that wasn’t the worse part.

What had made everyone gasp were the thick, inky black lines radiating from the wound and spreading up and down his arm, towards his wrist and chest. They crawled across his skin, following the path of his veins. No, Wild realized, they _were_ his veins, stained gruesomely black. The wound itself was puckered and inflamed, the edges as discolored as Wild's veins. With as bad as it looked, Wild could hardly believe he hadn't felt any pain from it during the past five days.

It was a stomach churning sight. Wild drew a shaky breath into his too-tight lungs as dread coiled in the pit of his stomache. The lines snaked across nearly the entire length of his arm, and he just _knew_ they’d been spreading since the day he’d received the wound. 

“What in Hylia’s name is that?” Warriors choked out, looking equal parts horrified and terrified.

Surprisingly, it was Time that knelt down beside the teen and gently took Wild’s left arm into his hands. Everyone else, including Twilight, was too stupefied to move. Time examined the wound and the lines, twisting Wild’s arm to better see. His expression was unreadable as he carefully prodded at the injured flesh. Finally, he sighed and sat back on his heels, rubbing at his face with a weary expression Wild had never seen on him before.

"Do you..." Wild swallowed against the tightness in his throat, "do you know what's wrong?"

Time met Wild's eyes and grimaced.

“From what I can tell, you've been infected with some sort of poison. I imagine the blade that injured you was coated in it. It’s a clever tactic, even a small wound could incapacitate an enemy.” He shook his head ruefully. “though in this circumstance, it’s about the worst thing that could have happened.”

The silence that enveloped the group was full of anguish. Wild dropped his eyes, not wanting to see the pity or unease on his friend's faces. 

“Is there a way to counter it?” Twilight asked, finally breaking the silence. His voice wavered only slightly. “An antidote?”

Time shook his head. “If we had the right potion… but we don’t even know what we’re dealing with here. It’s been almost six days since it was inflicted, but it’s still travelling through his bloodstream and preventing his wound from healing. It’s one of the nastiest poisons I’ve seen.”

“Then it’s even more imperative that we find a Great Fairy,” Warriors spoke up. There was a determined glint in his eye as he looked over at Wild. “You’re getting carried. No arguments.”

~*~

Wild had been too emotionally unstable to argue, and so he found himself situated on Twilight’s back. Warriors had taken over as pack mule when Wild flat-out refused to be carried by him (that had made Warriors sulk, but no one cared). Even though he felt silly and childish, he had to admit it was nicer than walking. Twilight was strong and wasn’t slowed down by Wild’s weight. Wild could lean against the soft wolf pelt around Twilight’s shoulders and nap. He preferred sleeping to his other option, which was thinking.

During the times he was awake, he tried desperately to keep his frightful thoughts at bay, but every few minutes, his mind would lose the battle. He couldn’t get the image of the thick, black lines snaking up and down his arm out of his head. The horror of seeing them was a memory that would haunt him for years to come. And now that he knew about them, he kept feeling a strange tingling sensation in the infected arm. He was pretty sure it was all in his head, but still…

They travelled all day, not stopping until night had fallen in earnest and it was too dark to continue on safely. When Time finally called for them to make camp, Wild caught sight of a stubborn gleam in Twilight's eyes. Wild could just imagine that his mentor was ready to transform into a wolf and lope off into the darkness alone to continue searching with his enhanced senses. Thankfully, Time must have seen the gleam too, because the older Hero caught Twilight’s eye and shook his head slightly. Twilight’s shoulders slumped, and Wild let out a sigh of relief, glad his mentor wouldn't put himself in unnecessary danger. 

Wild’s sleep that night was anything but restful. He tossed and turned fitfully, the aching pains in his body preventing even his bone-deep exhaustion from carrying him into unconsciousness. The few times he did fall asleep, his dreams were plagued with poison and death, and he’d wake up shaking and nauseated. Twilight stayed next to him throughout the night, calming him and being a steady, comforting presence. Despite Twilight's support, the hours ticked by slowly through Wild's complete misery, and he found it a relief when the night finally retreated.

Dawn came bleakly, the sun hidden behind a thick covering of angry, gray clouds. Thunder crashed in the distance, and Wind, after feeling the direction of the breeze, told them all that the storm was headed right towards them. Normally, this would have meant finding shelter and hunkering down for the day.

But that wasn’t an option.

Wild was worse than ever. They’d made him drink another potion, but it barely helped. The day before he’d been able to walk for a while and at least talk with the others, but now he was simply too weak. The black lines had spread further; they were now visible above the collar of his tunic, creeping up his neck. Time worried about what would happen when the poisonous lines reached his heart, and the terrible thought of that happeneing further sobered the rest of the Heroes. Nothing was said. Nothing _could_ be said. Twilight picked Wild up, and the group moved out, solemn and trying desperately not to give power to the dark thoughts swirling in their minds.

Two hours into their journey, the promised storm arrived, sending icy sheets of rain to soak into their clothes and run into their eyes. Wild eyed the swirling clouds above them uneasily, watching for flashes of lightning. Twilight had long ago assured Wild that storms in other Hyrules weren’t anywhere near as dangerous as they were in his, but Wild took that statement with a grain of rock salt. Who could really predict the behavior of lightning, after all?

Though the rain was annoying, it wasn’t heavy enough to be a hinderance. So besides being cold and miserable, the group had little to complain about.

Until the monsters showed up.

It was always harder to hear things in the rain—Wild should know; he’d capitalized on that fact many a time during his journey to defeat the Calamity—so the Heroes didn’t notice they were surrounded until they were under attack. The monsters barreled through the trees with bellows of rage, weapons raised and prepared to strike. The Heroes quickly drew their own weapons to fend off the ambush.

Wild heard Twilight curse, and the older Hero quickly tried to move away from the heat of the battle. There were too many enemies though. Moblins and bokoblins and even some monsters Wild had never seen before. Twilight didn't have the option to not fight. Twilight quickly made his way over to a thick tree and helped Wild sit up against it. Just the effort of remaining upright left Wild panting and dizzy.

Twilight gave what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile, though it looked more pained than anything, and said, “Don’t move. We’ll be done before you know it.”

Wild found he could say nothing, so he swallowed and nodded jerkily. Twilight gave him one more smile before drawing his sword and joining the fray. He stayed near Wild’s tree, cutting down anything that came near. Wild watched as bodies piled up, some falling to the ground quite close to him. How many were there? It seemed that for every monster that was cut down, another would immediately take its place. They just kept coming and coming.

Fear lanced through him at a sudden thought. What if these monsters had poisoned blades like the other group had? Wild’s eyes darted around the battle, seeking out his friends. The rain was so thick now, he could barely make out their forms. From the little he did see through the gloom, he could tell they were all holding their own, and they didn’t look like they were being overwhelmed despite the large number of foes. Even so, just one small mistake could lead to an injury, and then…

He didn’t even want to think about it.

His eyes sought out Twilight again, desperately. Twilight had moved a little farther away from Wild's tree and was fending off three bokoblins at once. Twilight’s skills with a sword were exceptional, far more so than Wild’s, and the older man didn’t seem to be having an issue. Two of the monsters didn't even have swords, armed with crude clubs instead.

Wild relaxed a little.

Then he noticed it.

A lone bokoblin was sneaking towards Twilight’s exposed back. It carried a chipped, rusted sword and had a look of deep malice on its face. Twilight was distracted by his three opponents and hadn’t noticed the new threat.

Icy cold terror flooded Wild's veins, and his breath caught in his throat. He had to do something. But what? If Wild called out to Twilight, he might distract Twilight from his current battle and cause him to be injured, but if Wild did nothing, then Twilight could be killed or, at the very least, injured and poisoned.

What could he do?

There were many bodies nearby, most with their weapons still clutched in their clawed hands. Wild looked at them and then at the bokoblin and steeled himself. Fear fueled his adrenaline and pushed against his exhaustion and pain. He used the tree trunk as support and hauled himself to his feet, gasping quietly as pain and dizziness threatened to overwhelm him. His limbs trembled from the effort, and for a moment, his vision went completely black, but he willfully shoved the darkness away and took a staggering step forward.

Wild was an idiot. He’d be the first one to admit such a thing. He knew a lot of his ideas were crazy. He knew some of the fighting techniques he’d come up with were incredibly dangerous. He had never considered himself brave for doing the things he had.

He did what he had to do. And that was all.

Pushing past exhaustion and agony, Wild groped for the nearest weapon: a far too dull sword missing the very tip. It was a dubious blade that would probably break if he swung it too hard. He’d fought with worse though. The bokoblin was so focused on its prey that it didn’t notice Wild until he was swinging his sword at its head. It screeched in terror.

Unfortunately, Wild’s estimation of the blade was true, and the moment it connected with the bokoblin’s skull it shattered into half a dozen pieces. Wild was left holding nothing more than a bit of jagged blade attached to the hilt, barely big enough to be a dagger. The bokoblin had been knocked back from the force but received only a shallow cut on its head where it had been struck. Recovering quickly, it turned its hateful eyes on Wild.

Wild blanched. His adrenaline-fueled attack had left him even more weak and shaky than before, and he thought it was a miracle that he was even still standing. Somewhere to his right, he heard Twilight frantically calling his name.

The bokoblin lunged with a shriek of pure rage, and both monster and Hero tumbled to the ground. The air was knocked from Wild's lungs as he landed on his back, but he had no time to recover as he was forced to keep the bokoblin at bay. The monster snarled and snapped, straining against Wild's shaking arms in an attempt to claw the Hero's face off. It still held its sword in one hand, but in it's frenzy to attack Wild, it had completely forgotten about the weapon, and that was the only reason Wild hadn't been skewered yet. Wild willed his muscles to hold strong, to maintain the distance between himself and the bokoblin's gnashing teeth. But he knew it was a losing battle. Every moment sapped his tiny reserve of energy. There was only one option left. With a wordless yell, Wild pushed the monster as far up as his meager strength would allow and stabbed his broken sword into its neck.

The bokoblin’s eyes widened, and it gurgled helplessly. It lurched away from Wild, dropping its bloody sword as its fingers groped for the jagged blade lodged in its neck. Its fingers wrapped around the hilt, and with a sickening squelch, it ripped the blade out. The monster's entire body spasmed, blood poured out of its wound, and it fell to the ground, dead.

Wild would have grinned at his victory, but there was one thing preventing him from doing so. Killing the bokoblin was not without a price. Wild’s trembling hand reached towards his left side, and he felt warm wetness, far thicker than the rain falling upon him, just to the left of his navel. He brought his hand in front of his face, and he saw his fingers stained red. In the final moment of his battle, the monster had remembered its sword, and it had pierced Wild's flesh the same instant Wild had stabbed the beast.

Wild stared at his fingers, watching rivulets of rain wash the blood away. Red droplets fell on his cheeks, and he let his hand drop back down to his side.

The pain of being stabbed wasn’t even that bad compared to the agony he’d been feeling for so many days. It was sharper, though, and beginning to burn, growing worse with every passing second. Wild wondered if the blade really had been poisoned. If it had, he was glad he was the one that had gotten hurt and not Twilight.

Thinking of Twilight, Wild let his head loll to the side. His mentor was still there, fighting like a demon while also shooting him panicked looks and shouting his name. Wild could barely hear him though. The rain was too loud and his head was too fuzzy. He was so tired. And cold. So, so cold. He let his eyes flutter shut.

He just needed to rest.

~*~

Twilight couldn’t remember a time in his life that he had ever felt the level of terror he was currently experiencing. Seeing Wild laying on the ground, a red stain spreading across the left side of his stomach, was a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Twilight had let himself get distracted, and the monsters had managed to herd him away from Wild. Twilight’s job had been to protect Wild, but his Cub had been the one to protect him. Twilight had heard the screech of the bokoblin and turned in time to see it lunge at Wild, far from the tree the teen should have been leaning against. Twilight could only assume the creature had been intent on sneaking up on Twilight and dispatching him. Wild had gotten in its way.

But it had been victorious in the end.

Twilight fought viciously, desperate to finish quickly and get to Wild. He didn’t know if any of the others had seen what had happened, but they had their own battles to fight. Finally, Twilight managed to push his opponents far enough away to slay them with a spin attack, and he wasted no time to rush to Wild’s side.

Wild’s skin was bone-white, and his breathing was so shallow it was practically nonexistent. Blood was rapidly soaking his tunic despite the rain washing so much of it away.

Sky abruptly appeared from within the surrounding deluge, startling Twilight. The younger Hero crouched down on Wild’s side across from Twilight, looking panicked. “What happened?” he shouted over the din of pouring rain and continued battle.

Had Sky not seen? Then how did he know Wild had been injured? Had the Sword told him?

Twilight forcefully shook the questions from his head, throat tight. That hardly mattered now. “We need to get him out of here!”

Sky nodded but cried out in alarm when a bokoblin appeared through the haze of rain a few feet away, screeching horribly and raising its club above its head. Sky and Twilight didn’t have time to even lift their swords before the tip of a blade burst out of the monster's chest. The bokoblin's choked, its eyes widening in shock, and Warriors face appeared over the monster’s shoulder. Tossing the creature off his blade, Warriors stepped forward, grimly analyzing the situation like the captain he was.

“Go! We can handle this!” he ordered, readying his blade even as more monsters converged on them, no doubt drawn to the smell of blood.

Sky and Twilight exchanged looks.

“Keep them off me,” Twilight said simply, hoisting up Wild and securing him firmly on his back. He could feel warmth soaking into his tunic, and he had to swallow down bile when he realized it was from Wild's blood.

Sky nodded, a fierce determination blazing in his eyes. He gripped the Master Sword tightly, the blade shining in the darkness. “Leave it to me.”

~*~

They had no where to go, but that hardly mattered. They just needed to get away from the battle, to find somewhere safe. Sky slew the few monsters that attempted to follow them, but after that, they ran into no more. Wild woke briefly, though it only served to renew their urgency. They needed to find shelter. Fast. They redoubled their efforts, Sky still on alert for enemies to appear.

The rain was coming down harder now, and Twilight shook his head in a futile attempt to stop it from running in his eyes. His hair was plastered to his face, and he was completely soaked. But as bad as he had it, he knew it was nothing compared to Wild, who had to endure the freezing rain all while being poisoned and slowly bleeding out. Twilight didn’t put much stock in prayer, but he was at his wit’s end, and he sent up a desperate plea to anyone who might hear him.

And then he saw it. His eyes were drawn to a point just to the left. It wasn’t far off the path, but because of the thick rain, if he hadn’t been looking directly at it, he never would have seen it.

“Sky!” he called, halting his steps. Sky had been running ahead of him, but at Twilight’s shout, he paused and turned around. Twilight gestured with a jerk of his head, and when Sky looked in the indicated direction, his eyes widened. He nodded, and together, the two made their way over.

A small hill jutted from the earth, and there beneath it lay a small hollow, just barely tall enough to stand up in, though they had to duck their heads. But it was fairly deep and more importantly dry, so they wouldn’t complain. Sky helped Twilight lay Wild down on the ground, careful not to jostle him too much.

Wild was even paler than before and shivering violently. Twilight wished they could build a fire, but it was too damp near the mouth of the hollow and if they built it further back, excessive smoke would be an issue. For now, they’d have to make do.

Together, Twilight and Sky removed Wild’s tunic and winced at the sight of the inky black lines on his arm and gaping stab wound in his abdomen. Twilight dug around in his bag, praying not everything was wet. Thankfully, his bag had lived up to its waterproof promise and the interior was still dry. Twilight pulled out clean linen and hastily pressed it against the still bleeding wound. It was amazing that Wild hadn’t already bled out with how much blood he was losing, but Twilight wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The problem was, neither he nor Sky had any potions on them.

“You need to find the others and guide them here,” Twilight told Sky, not taking his eyes off Wild.

Sky looked torn, glancing from Twilight to Wild’s prone form and back again. “But what about you guys?”

“We’ll be fine. _He’ll_ be fine. But we need potions. _Please_ , Sky.”

Sky nodded and took a deep breath. “Alright, I’ll bring them back as soon as I can.”

Twilight watched him leave and then squeezed his eyes shut, offering up another prayer. Even if Sky returned with the others, there was no guarantee that potions would have any effect. Poison still coursed through Wild's system, and the dark edges of his new wound implied that the blade that had caused it had also been coated with the toxic substance. If it prevented a small cut from healing, would a large stab wound be any different?

Twilight pressed harder against Wild's stomach.

“Please, just hang on a little longer.”

Sky was true to his word. Barely ten minutes after he left, he returned with six Heroes in tow. Everyone looked panicky and upset. Sky had likely told them what had happened to Wild while he led them there. Or perhaps Warriors had. Either way, no one was in the dark about the situation.

“What happened?” Hyrule demanded, falling to his knees beside Twilight and inhaling sharply when he caught sight of the nearly saturated cloth Twilight held against Wild's stomach. Sky followed silently after him, taking up residence on Wild’s other side and gazing forlornly at the teen.

The hollow was crowded with everyone inside, but that was hardly important. Twilight sensed Time move closer to him and immediately felt less frazzled. Time always had that effect on him, and Twilight was thankful he could draw strength from his mentor. He couldn’t succumb to the despair threatening to consume him. He needed to be strong and focus on the most pressing issue. They had no fairies, no Fairy Fountain, and no guarantee that potions would help.

“Hyrule, do you have any spells that could neutralize the poison?”

Hyrule turned wide eyes to Twilight. “Um, I’m not sure. It depends on what the poison is. If it's just a mundane poison then a healing spell might work, but then a red potion would have worked too. If it’s… evil… then a purifying spell would be better.”

“What do you mean ‘evil’?” Legend asked as he wrung out his hat near the mouth of the hollow.

Hyrule shrugged, looking apologetic. “I don’t really know how to explain it, but… if it was created using dark magic, then purifying it with light magic could get rid of it. But…” he eyed Wild, his eyes filled with fear. “It’s been in him for so long, I don’t know what kind of reaction he’d have. I could really hurt him.”

Silence reigned, broken only when Time sighed. “Best try a red potion first, though I don’t have high hopes for that.”

Twilight swallowed, despair coiling thickly in his stomach.

“Who has a red potion?”

“I have some,” Four’s voice rang out, and the smith produced a full bottle of red potion from his bag.

Then a noise, so small it could barely be heard, whispered through the air. “Twi-“

The voice was raspy and hoarse and had definitely come from the prone form on the ground.

Everyone froze, hardly daring to believe it. They exchanged amazed glances and crowded as close as the small space would allow. Twilight scooted nearer to Hyrule and leaned over so Wild could see him. He plastered a smile on his face, but he wasn’t sure how believable it was.

“Hey, Cub. How are you feeling?”

Wild swallowed, eyes fluttering. “Been better,” he breathed out.

Twilight shot Time a terrified glance. Time was solid and strong, and Twilight relied on him more than he should. If Time said it would be alright, then it would be alright. But Time was watching Wild with deep sadness in his gaze.

It felt like the world was falling apart. Breathing shakily, Twilight rested a hand against Wild’s forehead, wincing when he felt the heat radiating off his skin. Wild sighed, as though in contentment, and let his eyes flutter shut.

Reluctantly, Twilight removed his hand and held it out towards Four. “Cub, we need you to drink something. Can you do that for me?” Four handed over the red potion wordlessly.

Wild opened his eyes again and met Twilight’s before nodding very slightly. Twilight slipped a hand beneath Wild’s shoulders and lifted him as gently as he could. Wild groaned, and guilt stabbed at Twilight’s heart for causing him pain, but it had to be done. Hoping to make it more comfortable on the injured teen, Twilight scooted behind him so Wild could lean on him. He murmured an apology.

Pressing the lip of the bottle against Wild’s lips, he said, “Here, drink this.”

Wild did, swallowing the potion without complaint. Twilight let Hyrule take the bottle from him when it was empty, and Twilight slowly lowered Wild back to the ground. Wild shivered violently, almost convulsing, and Twilight laid a hand on his shoulder.

Hyrule lifted the bloody cloth on Wild's stomach and checked the wound underneath. Everyone waited with bated breath, but after several tense minutes, Hyrule turned sad eyes to his friends.

His voice cracked with despair. “Nothing.”

A tremor ran through Twilight at those words, and every muscle tensed under the weight of that knowledge. He'd known it wouldn’t work, but a small part of him had clung to the hope it would. Now that tiny hope had been crushed, and there was only one chance left.

“Then we try purifying it.”

Hyrule’s eyes went wide with panic. “We don’t know what that will do to him in this condition! And we don’t know if it will work!” He glanced down nervously at Wild and pitched his voice into a low whisper, barely loud enough to be heard. "If-if the poison _is_ evil in nature, it could be too... too _entwined_ in him. Evil doesn't like to let go," he finished, eyes glazed over as some memory took hold of him.

“Do you have a better idea?” Legend asked, glaring at Hyrule and causing him to flinch.

Twilight didn’t like it either, but what could they do? “We don’t have a choice. Nothing else is working. “Do it.” It felt very like he was signing Wild’s death warrant, but… no, he couldn’t, _wouldn’t_ , think like that.

Sky smiled down at Wild, though Wild had his eyes closed and couldn’t see it. “Don’t worry, Wild. Everything will be okay,” he said encouragingly.

Hyrule hesitated, and Twilight fixed him with a hard stare. “Ready?” he asked the younger boy. Hyrule looked up briefly before nodding bleakly. He reached out a hand and rested it over Wild’s left side; the other he laid right above the cut on Wild's arm.

A soft white glow enveloped his hands, growing stronger and stronger until it permeated into Wild’s skin. For a moment there was no reaction.

Then Wild screamed.

It was unlike anything Twilight had heard before. It was the cry of lost souls. It was the pain of a dying man. It tore into Twilight soul like he was the one who had been stabbed, cutting into his heart and ripping through his mind. Wild's back arched from the ground. His muscles had gone rigid, and his fingers clawed at the dirt beneath him.

Twilight knew that Wild was in agony, and he shouted, “STOP!” just as Hyrule, pale and shaking, withdrew his hands. Hyrule scrambled back, clutching his hands to his chest as though he’d been burned, staring at Wild in open-mouthed horror for what he had just done. But Twilight barely spared him a glance, his concern for Wild overrode anything else.

Wild was gasping, and sweat beaded on his brow. His whole body trembled, and every exhale came as a whiny rush of air between blue-tinged lips. Twilight gripped his shoulder, though it was more for his own comfort than for Wild’s. he needed to assure himself that Wild was still there. Still with them. On Wild’s other side, Sky did the same. Everyone else was now as close as they could get without being on top of him. Wind, Four, and Legend crouched low while Time and Warriors stood above them. They all looked on hopelessly.

Even Time.

The spell hadn’t done anything. The inky lines were still there, as vivid as ever against Wild’s pale flesh. His wounds, too, were just as bad. Twilight didn’t know what to do.

After what seemed like an eternity Wild’s eyes opened again. They were glassy and filled with pain, yet they immediately found Twilight’s.

“I’m… sorry.”

Twilight shook his head at the words, refusing to accept them. He gripped Wild’s hand in his own. “Don’t. You don’t need to be sorry.”

Wild licked his lips and took a breath. “I really… wanted to keep… travelling with you all.”

Twilight’s eyes widened even as Wild’s gaze drifted away to look around at the others. Twilight saw the way Wild looked at them all. There was sadness in his gaze.

But there was also acceptance.

No, Twilight wouldn’t let this happen. He wouldn’t! There had to be something he could do, something they hadn’t tried yet. But as he cast his mind for a solution, any solution, all he found was overwhelming despair. Tears stung his eyes as Wild looked back at him, and he shook his head.

“No, you are not going to die. You’re _not_.”

Wild coughed lightly. The sound made Twilight’s heart clench painfully. “I’ve already died once… I guess my time is… finally up.”

All hope fled. Twilight’s world was falling apart right in front of his eyes, and there was nothing he could do about it. A warm hand came to rest on his shoulder. Without looking, Twilight knew it was Time, but even his mentor could no longer bring Twilight solace.

Wild’s lips twitched upwards. “Thank you… for everything.”

“No. No. _No_.” Tears rolled down Twilights cheeks, dripping onto the hand still intertwined with Wild’s. He reached forward to grip Wild by the shoulders, as though he could physically tie him down to the world of the living.

Wild sighed and his eyes fluttered closed. Twilight was about to shake him in desperation when they popped open again. They were unfocused, but he looked slightly to the right, his mouth falling open.

“Mipha,” he breathed.

On Twilight’s left, Legend gave a short gasp. Twilight glanced at him and saw Legend blanch with horror.

When Twilight looked back down, Wild’s eyes were closed, and a small, peaceful smile graced his face.

He was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well... you've now experienced Wild's death through two different perspectives... How are you feeling?
> 
> One more chapter to go! Stay tuned!


	4. Regained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end comes.
> 
> A direct continuation of Chapter 1

Mipha was just as beautiful as Wild remembered. Though he had so few memories of her, every one was precious, and he clung to them above all others.

Seeing her spirit after freeing her from the Water Blight and catching glimpses of her every time she healed him couldn’t compare to actually being with her, holding her delicate webbed hands in his own and feeling their warmth. His eyes scanned her face, drinking in every detail and committing it to memory. And when their eyes met, he found himself drowning in her gaze.

Wild smiled, at peace for the first time in a long, long while. He hadn’t realized before now how in discord his soul had been. But all was well now. Sadness and pain had faded, and he was left feeling light and free. The dark void that surrounded him and Mipha was warm and comforting, like embracing an old friend. Like Mipha.

Mipha smiled up at him. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

She gave him a long look, eyes boring into his own. They were so captivating that Wild doubted he could find the strength to look away even if he’d wanted to.

“And yet,” she said softly, “I can tell that you still don’t remember me. Not fully.”

A wave of guilt washed over Wild, so thick and heavy that not even the soothing aura surrounding him could blot it out. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to, but…”

Mipha gave his hands a gentle squeeze and smiled reassuringly. “I know. You have been through so much, Link. Even if you don’t remember me, I still cherish my memories of you. They bring me comfort.”

It should have been heartening, but hearing her say that made Wild feel even worse. Mipha remembered someone that no longer existed. He tore his eyes away with effort and looked down sadly at their joined hands. “But that wasn’t me,” he whispered. “Not as I am now.”

Mipha said nothing, so Wild went on. “I barely recognize that person, who I was before the Calamity. I don’t remember everything, but I remember enough to know that I could never be him again. Hylia knows I tried, but,” he sighed, “too much has happened.”

Another gentle squeeze of his hands brought his eyes back up to Mipha’s. He expected to see sorrow or disappointment from her. Instead, she was smiling gently.

“Oh, Link, you truly do not understand.

“I’ve known you since you were a small child. Back then, you were so full of life. So full of wonder and amazement. You would not hesitate to follow your heart, though it often got you into trouble. You were so happy, always laughing and bringing smiles to the faces of those around you.”

For the first time, Mipha’s gaze grew sad. “When you drew the Master Sword, everything changed. You were so young, but responsibilities were heaped upon your shoulders. You bore it all with dignity, but the light in your eyes dimmed, and your smile waned. You became a different person, one that was hardly recognizable.

“I loved you, Link,” Mipha said with a sorrowful smile. “No matter who you were, I loved you, but it broke my heart to see what destiny had done to you.”

Wild stared at her, jaw slackening in his shock. Never had he thought he’d hear something like that. “Then…?”

Mipha nodded slightly. “Yes, Link. Who you are now is your true self, the self you were denied by your fate.”

That was a lot to take in, Wild thought, but… it was true. He didn’t know how he knew, but he did. A place deep within his soul resonated with the words Mipha had spoken. Like a key fitting into a lock, he understood that truth and accepted it. He smiled, heart lifting as he realized that he was exactly who he should be. He was not the pale imitation of the man he had once was. He was himself, and nothing more. Overwhelming gratitude for the woman in front of him coursed through him. 

Then a thought occurred to him, and it was his turn to gently squeeze Mipha's hands.

“Mipha, why are you here? I thought your soul was at rest already.”

Mipha smiled. “Once I had completed my task and aided you in defeating the Calamity, I could have moved on right away. But,” she ducked her head shyly, “I wanted to stay a little longer, in the hopes that I could see you.”

A surge of warmth spread through Wild’s chest. This woman was incredible. She had done so much for him during his life, even after she had lost hers. And now she was here with him so he wouldn’t face the next part of his journey alone. His spirit soared.

“I’m ready,” he said. “I’m ready to go. Together.”

The melancholy smile Mipha gave Wild was not what he had expected to receive from her. “Why do you feel that way?”

He frowned, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Why are you ready to move on? Is there nothing in the world of the living? No one waiting? No one relying on you?”

Wild stared at her for a long moment before grimacing and looking away. He was almost tempted to pull his hands from hers but refrained. Shame welled up within him, and he fought to keep his voice steady.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said shortly. Goddess, he just wanted to move on and find that peace again. It seemed that every moment he delayed, he grew more and more miserable.

“It does matter,” Mipha said firmly.

Wild shook his head. “No, it doesn’t. No one is relying on me. And if they are, they shouldn’t.” He bit his tongue to keep from saying more. Mipha had a way of effortlessly drawing out his feelings. He didn’t like that.

“Why do you say that?” Mipha whispered. “Why do you think that of yourself?”

“Because I failed!” This time, he really did rip his hands away from hers. The lack of contact made him feel sad and unexpectedly lonely. “I messed up, and so many people suffered because of it! I had one job to do and I failed! I brought nothing but misery to the world.” His voice petered out, and exhaustion settled over him. Looking down at his boots, he whispered, “The world is better off without me.”

Delicate hands reached up to cup his cheeks, and Mipha lifted his head so that he was forced to look at her. He expected to see disappointment, resentment, anger—after all, she was one of the people he failed. But Mipha once again proved how much better than him she was. There was nothing but acceptance and love in her gaze.

“You’re wrong, Link,” she said gently but firmly, staring deeply into his eyes. “You did not fail, you do not bring misery, and the world would be a very sad and dark place without you.

“I’ve watched your journey, and I’ve seen firsthand the joy you’ve brought to others. I’ve seen you take time to play with children. I’ve seen you help others turn their dreams into reality. I’ve seen you risk your life to help strangers. And I’ve seen you stop the worst evil to have ever entered the world.”

Wild felt the sharp sting of tears in his eyes, and his voice caught in his throat, denials fading away before they could even form. He wanted so badly to believe Mipha’s words.

Mipha continued, “You believe you’ve committed an unforgivable sin, and, whether or not you realize it, you are punishing yourself to try to pay for it. You hold yourself back from fully living because you believe it will make up for your supposed wrongs.”

She shook her head sadly. “It is not your job to determine what deserves to be punished, and you cannot gain forgiveness from denying yourself happiness.”

“Then how?” Wild whispered. “How?”

She smiled. “Do you know why my gift was called ‘Mipha’s Grace’?” She took her hands away from his face and cupped them in front of her. A soft, teal light glowed in the center of her palms. “’Grace’ is receiving something that you don’t deserve. You cannot ask for it. It must be freely given.” She curled her fingers inwards, and the light disappeared. “Forgiveness is the same. You cannot earn it. You cannot pay for it. But you must accept it”

Mipha reached up to grip Wild’s shoulders. “There is only one person who blames you for what happened. Only one person who denies you the forgiveness you so desire. And that person is you, Link.

“Without expectations, without payment, You must forgive yourself.”

Wild was trying his best to hold back his tears, but at her final words, he lost the battle. They dripped from his lashes and fell in thin rivers against his cheeks. He inhaled shakily, fighting against the painful tightness of his chest. “Why are you telling me this? I thought… I thought you were here to guide me forward.”

Mipha smiled. “In a way, that is true, but not in the way you thought. Your time is not yet up; there is still much for you to do. I am here because you deserve to live life to the fullest.

“I am here to give you one last gift.”

Mipha gently tugged on his shoulders, and he leaned forward under her guidance. Standing on her toes, she lifted her head and kissed his forehead.

Instantly, warmth flowed through Wild from where her lips met his skin, diffusing through his entire body and enveloping his soul. The peace that had vanished returned tenfold, and with it came understanding and acceptance. He had denied the truth for so long, but no more. His doubt disappeared, and he knew that to move forward, he had to let go of the past.

He forgave himself.

When Mipha pulled away, he was able to smile confidently at her, pouring as much love and gratitude into it as he could. She smiled, brighter than she ever had before, in reply.

Everything would be alright. Of that he was certain.

~*~

Twilight didn’t know how long he spent hunched over Wild’s body. The passage of time held little meaning anymore. Life as he knew it had ended.

He could taste the salt from his tears as he sobbed unabashedly. His forehead pressed into Wild’s chest, and his fingers curled around Wild’s arms. He could feel the warmth beneath him rapidly dwindling, fading away just as Wild’s life had. Above the sounds of his own heart breaking, he could hear the soft sounds of his companions crying. Beyond that, he could hear the rain continue to soak into the earth, as the heavens wept in mourning for the passing of a Hero.

But no sorrow could compare to his own. No one could understand what he was feeling, the way his heart was repeatedly stabbed by despair and his soul was crushed by regret. He was alone in his grief. Wild had been his protégé, his cub, his precious little brother. He loved him dearly, and now he was gone, cruelly taken from Twilight. With his passing, Twilight had lost a piece of himself.

It wasn’t fair, and it wasn’t right. Twilight cursed every higher power he knew of as he sobbed. They had done this, forced upon Twilight a destiny he never wanted, driving a wedge between him and his family and denying him a chance at real love. Then they gave him a new family only to rip away the one he cared for the most. Twilight wished that it had been him.

It should have been him.

It had been his job to protect Wild, to watch over him and make sure nothing had happened. He had failed, and Wild had paid the price.

Despair and sorrow hung oppressively in the air, and Twilight was drowning in it. So lost was he, that when someone spoke, the sound only barely managed to cut through the fog in Twilight’s mind.

“Wha-what is that?”

Twilight stifled his sorrow as best he could and looked up. He saw Legend, eyes bright with unshed tears, staring at something above Twilight’s head. Legend’s mouth had falled open, and now the others were beginning to mirror Legend’s shock. Twilight sat up and raised his eyes.

There, hovering above Wild’s body was a teal flame. No, not a flame, Twilight realized upon closer inspection, more like a glowing ball of light surrounded by wisps of energy flickering and dancing in the air. It shone brightly, and it was growing bigger.

Then it exploded.

Twilight recoiled with a yelp and heard his fellow Heroes crying out in alarm as well. He scrambled backwards, putting as much distance between himself and the mysterious light as the small confines of the hollow would allow. The small teal orb had burst apart with a violent flash of light, illuminating even the darkest corners of the small space. Teal wisps shot outward, and Twilight winced when one hit his chest, expecting to feel heat or energy or _something._ Yet, all he felt was a soothing presence.

As the light dimmed somewhat, a Zora woman emerged from the phantom remains of the orb, glowing even more brightly than the sphere had. Though she was mostly transparent, Twilight could see that she was beautiful, with delicate features and red-tinged scales. Jewels adorned her wrists, neck, and shoulders, and the headpiece resting on her forehead marked her as royalty. A sash in a familiar shade of blue hung from her left shoulder.

The Zora woman twisted in the air, arms fanning out beside her, and a warm breeze caressed Twilight’s face. She hovered there for a moment before she slowly drifted down. She came to rest alongside Wild's body, kneeling beside him. She gently caressed his face with a regretful smile. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the forehead.

The warm breeze grew into a gale, and Twilight was forced to lift a hand to shield his eyes from the stinging wind. Energy danced through the air, sending tiny bolts of electricity zinging along his skin. It did not hurt though. It felt… protective. Kind and caring.

Loving.

The wind died down, and the Zora leaned back, smiling down at Wild. Then she turned to the rest of the Heroes. They stared at her in awe, unsure of what to do. She merely smiled at them.

“Please,” she said, voice soft and ethereal, “take care of him.”

Twilight felt a familiar hand land on his shoulder. Twilight glanced up at Time, though the older Hero didn’t taken his eyes off the Zora. Twilight looked back at her and saw that she was staring right back at him. He didn’t fully comprehend what was happening, but he did know that only he could make such a promise. He nodded.

“I will.”

The Zora woman gave them all a final smile, pride and gratitude shining on her face. Then, she closed her eyes and disappeared, fading away into nothing and leaving the Heroes in darkness once more. Twilight stared at the spot she had been only seconds before. His mind had gone completely blank. Outside, the rain continued to pour.

Then Wild groaned.

Twilight’s eyes snapped towards him, and he heard several sharp intakes of air from those around him. Everyone waited with bated breath.

Wild’s eyes slowly opened. His brow furrowed and he pushed himself up into a sitting position. Shaking his head slightly, he looked around and, upon noticing everyone starting at him, blinked owlishly.

“Uh-“

“WILD!” Hyrule practically threw himself at Wild, sobbing and clutching the confused Hero around the neck. Wild looked terribly startled.

As though it was some sort of signal, everyone else hurried to do the same. Wind threw himself over Wild’s legs and Sky hugged the teen from behind, effectively preventing him from moving. Legend and Four refrained from trying to smother him, but still eagerly moved closer, and Warriors clapped him on the shoulder not occupied by Hyrule’s chin.

Twilight just sat there and watched it numbly. Time’s hand on his shoulder was the only thing keeping him grounded. The moment it left, Twilight was going to fall apart.

After a minute of Wild silently enduring the crowding, he managed to gently extricate himself from Hyrule, and the others backed off a bit as well. Hyrule sniffled piteously, eyes still leaking tears, but everyone else smiled brightly, if a bit watery.

The Wild looked at Twilight.

Twilight had never recognized before how many things could be said without words, but when he locked eyes with Wild, he knew. A single glance could convey a thousand times more than spoken words would ever be able to. He looked at Wild and he saw everything the teen wanted to tell him, every emotion, every feeling, every thought, and he knew Wild saw the same in Twilight’s eyes.

So, Twilight didn’t need to do anything more than smile and say, “Took you long enough.”

Wild smiled back. “Yeah, sorry about that. I’m home now. For good.”

~*~

Mipha’s Grace, Wild explained, was the gift given to him by the spirit of the Zora princess, Mipha, upon freeing her from the Calamity. It was capable of healing any wound, no matter how grievous, and as long as a the recipient's soul had not yet departed, it could even revive the dead. The gift had disappeared once Mipha’s spirit passed on, but she had returned to grant it to him one last time.

Wild’s wounds had disappeared, as had every trace of the poison that had so virulently attacked his system. Wild insisted that he felt better than ever, but no one was quite satisfied with that.

Poor Wild. Twilight actually felt a bit sorry for him. Wild was a free spirit and didn’t like being surrounded by people, even if they were his fellow Heroes. But after he had literally died in front of them, almost everyone felt the need to be as close to Wild as possible. They essentially made a living barricade around him, crowding him at dinner time, standing so close their arms brushed his, even going as far to sleep right against (and in Wind’s case, on top of) him. Wild bore it all with patience, but Twilight could see it was draining him. So, before Wild snapped and did something he’d regret, Twilight dragged him off for a reprieve.

Wild sighed in relief once they were a good distance from camp. “Thanks. I was about to go crazy back there.”

Twilight smirked. “I could tell.”

Wild flashed him a grin and stretched his arms above his head, breathing deeply.

Twilight watched him for a moment, gathering his thoughts. Wild hadn’t talked much about that terrible night beyond explaining what Mipha’s Grace was and vaguely telling them who Mipha was, but there was more to the story, of that Twilight was certain. He just wasn’t sure if Wild was ready to talk about what had happened.

Well, he'd never know unless he asked. He gathered his nerve. “Wild.” He waited to continue until Wild looked at him. “What happened that night? You… you mentioned Mipha’s name right before you… and she appeared a few minutes later to heal you…” He trailed off awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed.

Wild shrugged, not looking terribly perturbed by the question. “I don’t really know. I remember that I saw her and that we talked but… I don’t remember what we talked about.” He shot Twilight an apologetic glance. “I mostly remember the feelings that I had when I was with her. Happy and frustrated and surprised and guilty.” He sighed, looking up at the sky sadly. “I wish I did remember what she said. I think… I think it was important. I think she was trying to help me with something but…” again, he smiled apologetically, “I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised that I don’t remember.”

Twilight laughed lightly and clapped him on the back. “You sure do like to forget things.”

Wild shrugged and smiled. “Even though I’ve forgotten what happened, I… I don’t know, I feel different. Like a weight’s gone from my shoulders.”

Twilight could believe it. Wild looked oddly confident, chin held high and eyes bright with livliness. It was something that had astonished Twilight at first, to see such a demeanor change in him. He wondered if any of the others had noticed the subtle difference.

For a time, they walked in silence, winding through the trees and simply enjoying the peace and each other’s company.

“Thank you,” Twilight said eventually, and when Wild only stared at him in confusion, he went on. “For saving my life.”

Wild’s grin was the brightest that Twilight had ever seen from him. “You’d do it for me too.”

And he would. Twilight refused to regret what had happened. Wild was here with them, whole and healthy and _alive._ Twilight didn’t doubt that there would be trying times ahead for their group, the Heroes never did anything by halves, but whatever came at them, they would face it together.

As a family.

BONUS:

“So, Wild,” Time said with a dangerous glint in his eye, clapping a hand on the teen’s shoulder in a vice-like grip. “What’s this I hear about you cooking a fairy?”

~*~

The End

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Famous last words, Twilight.
> 
> There's no way I would actually kill off Wild. Besides him being my favorite character, I need him alive to hurt him more... Yeah, I'm not even going to deny it.
> 
> For those of you wondering why I had Wild forget practically everything that happened with Mipha, well that will come into play in the sequel to the sequel of this story. And speaking of sequels...
> 
> Thank you to everyone who took part in this Wild ride! If you enjoyed it, make sure to subscribe to the series! There's more angst ahead, and action too, so stick around!
> 
> Thanks, and happy reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Okay... I know this looks bad, but before all the Wild fans out there finish sharpening their pitchforks, note that there is more to come. And it will hopefully be less depressing than this.
> 
> Stay tuned!


End file.
